


The Accidental Couple

by SlightlyNerdyTiget



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Chipped Cup, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-05 20:51:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5389823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlightlyNerdyTiget/pseuds/SlightlyNerdyTiget
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle and Rumple are mistaken for a couple in a coffee shop at Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own once upon a time or any of the characters.   
> This is my first rumbelle fic so I hope it's ok.

Alone at Christmas (again), Belle French wandered into the coffee shop and stared in feigned disgust at the couples who filled the seats. She got out her phone and started scrolling down Facebook, in the hope that no one would notice the fact that she was by herself in this crowd of pairs. A man bumped into her back slightly.

“Sorry,” she heard a voice with a Scottish accent say.

“No problem,” she replied. Belle tried to turn her head to look at the stranger who bumped into her but the shop was too busy. She thought she should maybe leave the shop; she could get a good old pot of tea anywhere. But they did the best drinks here, besides she couldn’t just leave when she was so near the front of queue. As she loomed ever closer to the counter, Belle slipped her phone into the pocket of her pink coat and got out her purse.

Still able to the feel the front of the stranger pressed against her back, Belle craned her neck upwards so she could look at him. He was certainly handsome, not traditionally handsome mind, but still very attractive. He had thoughtful dark eyes which matched his scowl, a hooked nose and longish sandy hair which framed his face. From what she could she, he leaned heavily on a cane and his suit was the smartest, cleanest suit she’d ever seen, far too fancy for this little coffee shop. Suddenly, his eyes flicked downwards and caught her gaze. A small smile appeared on his face as Belle realised that she was openly staring at this stranger. She felt her cheeks burn as tried to tear her eyes away.

“Oh my God! You two are so cute. It’s adorable,” an overly enthusiastic barista squealed. Belle jumped and the man seemed to blush slightly as he coughed. “How long have two been together?”

As she was about to correct the girl and make sure she was aware that she had never met this man before in her life, the man piped up,

“About a year now,” he said, wrapping his arm protectively around the shocked woman. As he said this, he nudged Belle and subtly pointed to a board with his cane, a board which said ‘Couples eat free when they buy drinks’. “Isn’t that right, dearie?”

Belle suddenly realised the stranger’s game and nodded with a forced smile, “Yep, a year on Christmas.” She was such a crap liar.

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” the barista said, smiling a sickly sweet smile. Then she leaned forward and smiled at them as if she was ready to take their order.

“Espresso for me,” her false boyfriend said with a smile, “And a macchiato for the lady?”

“Actually, I’ll have the house blend tea, please,” Belle corrected him, resting her hand on top of his hand so they both held the cane.

“And anything to eat? It’s free for couples like you,” the girl encouraged them enthusiastically. The man ordered some sort of sandwich so Belle ordered a brownie. They were expensive, but at she was getting it for free she thought she might as well. As Belle got out her purse to pay, a hand pushed down her purse.

“I’ll pay,” said the gentleman.

“No, no, let’s split the bill,” Belle said as she fiddled around searching for non-existent change.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay,”

Before Belle could protest, the man slipped a debit card towards the barista, who made sure that everything was paid for. While they waited for their order, Belle turned to the man and whispered furiously,

“Why did you pretend that I’m your girlfriend?”

“I like good deals,” he shrugged.

“I don’t like lying,”

“I’m sorry, it was just a heat of the moment sort of the thing,” he whispered with a pleasant smile.

Content with his apology, Belle turned back to watch her pot of tea and pretty cup being placed on a tray. When they got their order, the man gestured to a table in the corner and asked, almost shyly if she’d sit with him.

“We’re a couple, aren’t we?” Belle said as she picked up the tray.

“I’m Belle,” she introduced herself as she pulled a chair out for the crippled man who, begrudgingly, sat on it.

“Rumpelstiltskin,” he replied with a slight smile as he poured Belle’s tea into the cup for her. He then picked up his drink and brought it to his lips. The two pretend lovers talked slightly awkwardly until Rumple finished both his food and drink but he continued to talk to Belle, who was still sipping on her tea.

“So, as your girlfriend, are there any children I should know about?” Belle teased.

Rumple’s face dropped and he fiddled with the top of his cane. “I had a son, Baelfire, but I lost him a long time ago,” he said sadly and very quickly changed the topic. Soon they were talking about their jobs.

“What does working in a pawnshop entail?” Belle asked, putting her face in her hands.

Smirking, Rumple replied, “Just the usual, collecting rubbish, selling items, trading them for people’s children.”

In shock, Belle dropped the almost empty cup she was holding and watched it tumble to the floor.

“That was just a joke, dearie,” the man tried to explain as Belle dropped to the floor and picked up the cup.

“Oh, oh dear,” Belle stuttered as she lifted up the cup, “It’s chipped.”

“It’s just a cup,” Rumple shrugged.

“But it’s not my cup,” she exclaimed. Rumple took the cup and placed it on the table. He extended his hand and said,

“The let’s go before they notice,” Belle took his hand, his warm, comforting hand, and managed to reply.

Rumple let go of her hand and picked up the chipped cup with a wink. As they left the coffee shop, Rumple wrapped his free arm around Belle’s waist. Belle looked up at the man. It just felt so… right.

As they turned the corner, Belle pulled away and said,

“I have to go now, but I had a lovely time being your pretend girlfriend.”

Rumple awkwardly chuckled and leant onto his cane.

“I had a nice time too, Belle,” he said sincerely, making Belle blush with his intense gaze. As she turned to leave, Belle turned back to the man with a shy smile.

“Would you, I don’t know, like to go on a date sometime?” she asked, peering out from underneath her eyelashes.

“Yes, that’d be nice,” he said gently. He pulled a pen from his top pocket and managed to scribble something on the cup. “Here’s something to remember me by,”

Belle took the cup off him and smiled when she saw his phone number written in characteristically neat handwriting. Overcome with excitement, Belle leant forward and kissed the man on the cheek then skipped off. As she turned the corner, she turned her head and waved at the staring man, who waved back cheekily. When she got home, Belle wrote down Rumple’s number then scrubbed it off the chipped cup and placed it on the mantelpiece, so she’d never forget.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple and Belle visit the coffee store two years after they meet.  
> Basically shameless Rumbelle fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though I'm annoyed at Rumple at the moment, I couldn't resist writing another chapter thanks to your lovely comments and kudos.  
> Please comment, I love to hear feedback.  
> I don't ouat, etc.

As Belle and her gentleman friend, as she liked to call her boyfriend, sauntered down the street arm in arm, Belle smiled to herself in contentment. Two years she’d been dating Rumple, two years! Honestly, this was the longest she’d ever been in a relationship for and she’d never been so in love.

The couple stopped suddenly outside a café. It was quite rundown on the outside but from what Belle could see, the inside was modern and incredibly busy.

“Why are we here, Rumple?” the woman asked as her handsome man began to lead her into the bustling café.

“I have a surprise for you, my dear,” he said suspiciously, beginning to lean on his cane more.

As the two stepped inside and joined the incredibly long line, Belle looked around, it hadn’t changed a bit.

“I haven’t been in here for ages, Rumple, not since Granny’s opened,” she said, almost to herself, making her boyfriend chuckle lightly. “Besides,” Belle grumbled, “they don’t do iced tea.”

Rumplestiltskin began to stifle his laughter, making Belle gently swat his arm teasingly.

After a while, Rumple narrowed his dark eyes and furrowed his eyebrows, making that thinking face which drove Belle wild.

“Why don’t you find us a table, dearie? There aren’t many left,” he said, his attention obviously on something else. Belle scowled and rested on Rumple’s arm.

“Are you ok? You seem distant,” she asked, concern filled her voice and her light eyes.

“Of course, Belle, I’m fine,”         

And so Belle wandered off to find a table, entrusting Rumple to order the right thing for her, but she knew she’d drink anything Rumple bought her just to make him happy.

After a while, Rumple limped over to the table empty handed. Before Belle could ask what was going on, a familiar barista brought over a tray of drinks.

“Tea and espresso for Mr Gold?” she checked as she placed to tray onto the table. She gave Belle a cheesy grin then Rumple a knowing smile and sauntered off.  Confused, Belle picked up the cup then almost dropped in surprised.

“It’s our chipped cup!” she exclaimed. Putting the cup down, she leant forwards towards the handsome man and whispered, “This was in the cupboard at home,”

Rumple nodded with a slight smile gracing his untraditionally handsome face.

“How did you-?”

Rumple interrupted Belle’s question, “Magic.”

Rolling her eyes playfully, Belle drank her tea from her favourite cup. Even if it was broken, that cup meant a lot to her so it was her favourite.

The two talked about everything and nothing, as they always did.

Soon, Belle felt something metallic tasting touch her lips. She scowled as she put the cup and pulled the offending object from her tea.

It was a ring.

It was the most beautiful ring Belle had ever seen. It was silver with an ornate diamond design on what she assumed was the front of the ring. Was this what she thought she was? Her heart racing, Belle raised the ring and grabbed her gentleman friend’s attention. His dark eyes landed on the ring and faint blush darkened his cheeks and he cleared his throat as he reached for her hand, covering it with his.

“Belle,” he began in his rasping voice, “I know I’m not a good man,” Belle tried to interrupt but he put a finger against her lips. “I know I’m not a good man, and I’ve done terrible things. But, Belle, you make me want to be a better person and I think since I met you, I’ve become a better person. After everything I’ve done, you still want to be with me. You what that is? Trust. You’ve trusted me with everything Belle. You let me into your life and you let me into your heart, you’ve given me everything.  And now, I trust you with the greatest gift I could ever give to you, my heart.”

“Oh Rumple,” Belle said, her heart bursting with joy as her handsome man gently took the ring from her, wiped the tea off it with a napkin and presented it to her.

“Will you marry me?” he asked with his eyes full of hope. Saying yes and nodding her head vigorously, Belle gently embraced her now fiancé. Grinning like a mad man, Rumple slid the ring onto Belle’s finger and kissed her hand.

“I love you, Belle,”

“I know,”

“I know you’ve just watched Star Wars, Belle, but you don’t need to put references into everything,”

“It’s fun, Rumple,”

And with that, she leant forward and pressed a chaste kiss on her fiancé’s lips, then kissed him again slightly deeper. Belle pulled away and rested her forehead against Rumple’s.   

“I love you too.”


End file.
